Tube squeezer



Nimah E, QZ.,

J.RANDALL TUBE SQUEEZEIR Filed Nev. l0, 1924 fil 11.!

To uit :o mt t may concern.

e citizen of the United @tetes residing et .uckahoe, in t" en@ ",ieuerand Stute ot New York, huve in vented certein new and usefulimprovements in Tube 'lqueeners, of which 'the following is aspecticeton.

vlhe object ot tais invention is to proide a simple und' convenientineens for ucraino; collepsibie tubes to discharge the ntents'thcreot insuch quantity as may required for the intended use. Collapsi e tubes erecommonly used as containers tooth buste, shaving creams, ointments,

l etc.,` and the contents are harged Aby squeezing the `tube vvhi f 'thepressure should be app i at the closed end of the osite the dischargeend. and then r advanced the contents are discharged, this method is notordinarily tollowed, and it may be said to be the commen prut-tice tosqueeze the tube anywhere bei. n its ends. `fiometifrnes this results inbreaking the joint at the closed end of the tube; sometimes it producesa crack cr break in the tube, and citen times it results in a loss ofmuch of the contents ot the tube which remains therein. after thedistorted appearance ett the tub-e indicates to the user that it hasbeen emptied.

lt is the object of my invention to provide means `whereby pressure maybe applied .first .at the closed end ot the tube then advanced as thecontents of the tube are discharged, all the time pressing the contentsof the tube -forward trein the closed end so that finally the tube completely emptied.

A further object ot the invention is to provide means for squeezing.r acollapsible tube so that the danger of cracking or breaking;r a tubeWill be eliminated and the entire contents of the tube dischargedthrough the discharge end, as required.

And a further object of the invention is to provide a bracket forsuspending a tube therein until emptied and in a convenient position todischarge the contents of the tube and having means for squeezingthetube to effect the discharge of all the contents.

A further object of the invention is to provide a, bracket as aforesaidhaving a county of lifest-K convenient provided for supporting sucharticles as ertists4 brushes, 'palette knives, tooth brushes or suchother urticles as may be used in connection with, the contents of the'tube in the tube squcezer.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide such u bracket having aconvenlent means provided or receiving the cap o the tube in the tubesqueezer, when the tube is being squeezed and the contents e5 forcedtherefrom, and having means tol catch any of the contents of the tubewhich may escape therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a selected embodimentoit the invention, and referring thereto Y Fig. l is a perspective viewshowing a tube suspended in a bracket and embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the 75 invention as shown inFig. 1.

F 3 is a horizontal sectional viei through the squeezing key of Fig. i..

Fig. 4 shows in perspective u, portion of e tube und a squeezing key inrelation for engagement therewith.

Fig. 5 is a plan View ot e keyfblank, and

Fig. G is a perspective view ot the key made from the blank of Fig. 5.

Referring tothe drawings, the bracket comprises a back support plate 7,pressed out at 7 to give rigidity thereto, adapted to be ailixed to aWall, for example, and which is provided with tvvo side plates 8, inwhich the squeezing key 9, is rotatably nioi'inted. rThe preferred formof key for use with the bracket hes a head i0, e grooved s hanlgll, anda threaded end l2, to receive the securing nut 13, An inclined top plate14, preferably madenteg-ml with the side plates 8, is provided with aplural ity ot holes 15, and a curved lip "i6, in which a plurality otslots li" are provided.

The holes 15 form. convenient means tor holding the cap 18 of a tube 19supported Wl in the bracket, when `the tube is beinpr squeezed todischarge some of the contents, Y holes of various sizes being providedAto accommodate various sizes of caps.

The curved lip 16 forms a convenient 105 means for holding a toothbrush, palette knife or other article used in connection with thecontents of the tube, the slots in the lip being provided as holders fortooth brushes or the like. The top plate 14 and U0 side plates 8 aresecured to the back support plate 7, in any suitable manner.

At the lower end of the back sup ort plate 7, I find it desirable toprovidea rip cup 20 which may conveniently be formed as an integral partof the hack plate.

In practice, the closed end 21V-of the tube 19 is engaged with the slotin the shank of the key 9 while the latter is mounted in the bracket andthen the head 10 is turned to wind the tube u n the key. As it is-woundupon the key the) contents of the tube are forced towards the dischargeend of the tube, which is ordinarily closed by a cap 18. As the tube iswound up on the key it becomes more and more flattened out, so thatsubstantially the entire tube can be wound upon the key in a devicehaving substantially the proportions illustrated in the drawings. Whenthe tube has been emptied of its contents, the nut 1B is removed and thekey is ulled outward from engagement with the tulbe and the bracket,whereupon the tube will drop out of the bracket; and then the key can bereplaced to receive another tube. I have found in practice that withthis invention the tube is completely emptied of its contents withoutdamage to the tube, although it will be distorted and flattened in amanner readily understood.

'The back support plate-provides protection for the wall from thecontents of the tube and the drip cup 20 provides protection to thefloor or whatever is below the tube by catching an of the contents whichother support or it may be hung in place so that'it can be movedwhenever desired and thus used in traveling.

A device of substantially the proportions illustrated, will accommodateand successfully squeeze the contents from tubes of a range of sizescomprising the more coinmonly used sizes; and for the very large sizes,a device of larger proportions may be provided.

But it may be desirable to i-se the squeezing key without the bracketand in Fig. 4 I have shown a squeezing key 22 comprising a head and asolid grooved shank adapted to receive the closed end 2l of the tube. Byturning this key the tube can be wound .up thereon in a mannersubstantially similar to that before described.

The key may be stamped up from sheet metal and in Fig. 5 I have shown ablank 23 which may be stamped to form the key 24 of Fig. 6, thiskeybeing suitable for use in place of the key 22 in Fig. 4.

My invention provides a simple and convenient means for squeezing 'acollapsible tube to discharge the contents thereof in such quantities asmay be desired and withto make all such changes as fairly fall withinthe scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Means for squeezing a colla sible tube to discharge the contentsthereo and comprising a back support plate, a top plate and side plates,said top plate having apertures to receive various sizes of collapsibletube ca s and provided with a curved lipl adapte to hold variousarticles used in connection with the contents of the tube, a winding keymounted in said side plates and having a shank located between theplates and provided with means to receive the closed end of a tubewhereby the said tube may be suspended from' the shank of the key infront of the said back support plate and be wound upon the key.

2. Means for squeezing a colla sible tube to discharge the contentsthereo and comprising a back plate provided at its lower end with a dripcup, atop plate and side plates, said top plate having apertures toreceive various `sizes of collapsible tube caps and provided with aslotted lip adapted to hold various articles used in connection with thecontents of the tube, a winding key mounted in the said side plates andhaving a shanklocated between the side plates and provided with means toreceive the closed end of a tube whereby the said tube may be suspendedfrom the shank of the key in front of the said back support plate and bewound upon the key.

3. Means for squeezing a collapsible tube to discharge the contentsthereof and comprising a back support plate having a portion thereof,pressed outwardly to give rigidity thereto and provided at its lower endwith a drip cup, a top plate and side plates, said top plate havingapertures to receive various sizes of collapsible tube caps and providedwith a curved and slotted lip adapt ed to hold various articles used inconnection with the contents of the tube, a winding key mounted in thesaid side plates and having a shank located between the side plates andprovided with means to receive the closed end of a tube whereby the saidtube may be suspended from the shank of the key in front of the saidback support and be wound u on the key.

J SEPHiNu ARiuuaatt,

